Ok. Sorry for all the questions but what type of couplers are better? Knucle couplers or horn couplers?
Kadee Knuckles for HO scale
Micro-train for N scale
Amazing what triggers memories…
When I was 14, knuckle couplers had’t quite caught on…
IMO, any knuckle is better that a horn/hook. Any with a metal knuckle spring is better than a plasic spring, and any with a metal knuckle is better than a plasic knuckle. Lately I’ve been partial to an integrated centering spring due to ease of assembly, although most of mine are KaDee #5 (the innovator).
I’m in HO, but do have some N, and any knuckle beats Rapido style.
Good luck with your modeling.
PRR had a good 120 year run, anyway[angel]
Sergent Engineering couplers are the most realistic, Kadee couplers are a standard. Horn hooks are an OLD standard that was phased out about 20 years ago.
David B
Hi David,
I beleive you have right but you need to precise the use of the couplers.
Kadee and Microtrains are brothers by history; I don’t speak about the copy; are certainly the best couplers for huge layout operation.
I must admit, I never like to see big sky hands coming to help to uncouple, but it’s my opinion.
I mean on a big layouts whith big yards and many industrial spurs and track far than a 2’ reach Kadee coupler are more suitable. You can uncouple whithout “handsky” anywhere.
For little layout whith easy reach or more to the scale like HO Proto 87 Sergent couplers are a good option.
Here in Europe HO Proto 87 modelers are growing and on these magnificient small layouts we see some sergent coupler but still a lot of Kadee small couplers not the n°5 of course.
A few weeks ago in France there was a beautiful french layout HO Proto 87 which was using Nscale Micro Trains couplers whith modified pins. It was running like a jewel.
I use myself for my Nscale steam loco Zscale coupler for better appearence; but not on the full fleet because of the cost of course.
Marc
The horn-hook coupler is a leftover from an attempt by the NMRA to develop a standard coupler to replace the non-compatable automatics available at the time. It couples reliably but requires an active ramp to uncouple without the laying on of hands. I only saw one layout where they functioned as designed - the owner was one of the developers and had ‘tweaked’ them for optimum performance.
At about the same time (1950s) the Edwards brothers brought the Kadee K-series couplers to the marketplace. Many modelers chose them for their more prototypical appearance, they coupled reliably (mine still do) but required a diamond-shaped active ramp to uncouple. Later, the MK and MKD couplers replaced the active ramps with fixed magnets, and the rest is history.
When the Kadee patents ran out, several manufacturers brought out similar couplers. They ranged from adequate to terrible, but, IMHO, none are the equal of genuine Kadee couplers.
I am happy with the standard Kadee couplers, so I’ve never been tempted to try any of the newer, supposedly more prototypically accurate brands. As for horn-hooks, the chopped-up black plastic makes realistic-looking anthracite coal…
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
For decades, manufacturers provided horn couplers with their models, but modelers for the most part were willing to spend extra money for knuckle-type couplers, specifically Kadees. Use simple logic for the answer to your question.
Mark (using Kadee [knucle] couplers since 1963)
Your question was: What works better, hook -n-horn or knuckle couplers? Actually, the hook -n-horn couplers worked better than knuckle couplers when it came to keeping the cars from separating. In fact, they worked too well because the only way to get them apart was to lift the cars from the rails and twist them from side to side to separate them if you didn’t have the special uncoupling ramp (which most of the time didn’t work worth a hoot.)
Most modelers strive for the greatest prototypical appearance they can achieve, so the knuckle couplers became popular and have been the norm ever since. The knuckle coupler can work just as well as the hook-n-horn as long as they are installed at the proper height to one another and look a whole lot more prototypical than the old hook-n-horn couplers.
I usually throw the hook -n- horn couplers in the trash and install Kadee couplers in their place. (I’m one of those guys that strives for the greatest prototypical look for my rolling stock.) ;)…chuck
Cdog, nothing wrong with horn hooks. As MR Clark stated, they stay hooked up better than than knuckle couplers. One thing I wanted to do was back up my trains, that is where the knuckle couplers out performes the horn hooks.
Cuda Ken
Unless you have magnets under your entire layout, you cannot uncouple anywhere with Kadees any more than you can with Sergents. In fact, to uncouple Kadees without a magnet, you need to insert a skewer or a similar tool and twist. With Sergents, you just apply a magnet and they release…no twisting needed.
As well, there are plenty of “big layouts” that use Sergents. In fact, they are superior to Kadees in every respect, from reliability to resistance to unwanted uncouples.
No, Sergents are not a Proto-87 only coupler.
David B
I agree. Model Railroad Hobbyist has a first look article on the Sergent’s and there are a couple of different test videos on the forums there that show just how well the Sergent’s work! The fact that they look better than Kadee’s is just a pleasant bonus, IMO.